3G-SDI Card Support for 4:4:4:4 (10-bit?)

Can you tell me if any of the DeckLink cards support a 10-bit 4:4:4:4 (RGBA, for example) pixel input?

I was checking the SDK documentation and didn't immediately see a pixel format that corresponded to 4-channels of 10-bit data, which I thought would be supported for a 3G-SDI (or higher) interface at 1080p30 (or similar).

The DeviceList Sample code output when run on my DeckLink Duo 2, for example, seems to limit the pixel format. Same goes for my 6G-SDI DeckLink Mini Recorder.

Code: Select all

1080p29.97 :

1920 x 1080       29.97 FPS     8-bit YUV      10-bit YUV      8-bit ARGB      8-bit BGRA      10-bit RGB      12-bit RGB      12-bit RGBLE    10-bit RGBXLE   10-bit RGBX



As far as i know there is no 4:4:4:4 RGBA standard for SDI. 4:4:4 does exist.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chroma_subsampling

But might be a new HDR standard? Still then HDR is in the 4K segment and not in 1080P30 were you are talking about.

I was looking at a document on SMTE.org's site that was listing ST 425-1 SDI mappings, and they were showing a 10-bit, 4:4:4:4 option that fit in the 3G-SDI (3 Gbps) standard.

See "HDTV and 2K D-Cinema Production" section of the following wall-chart (left side):

https://www.smpte.org/sites/default/files/images/SMPTE%20wallchart%232.6_20_17-JULY%202017.pdf

It seems like a valid format that manufacturers may or may not implement/support?

Well if you look at the reference where that chart comes from. SMPTE 425-xx TU-R BT.2100 1920x1080 HDR.TV This is rather new.

HDR standards are still not really defined. There are several "Standards" HDR is also quite new. (IBC 2018 i saw the first HDR roll out.) So at this point of time. I guess nobody has the right hardware / awnser for 4:4:4:4 10 bit. Or use for it. Googling for this did not turn up any usefull results..

But what hardware are you trying to interface that has a RGBA 10bit 4:4:4:4 output?? i really wonder...

Custom output hardware -> stock Blackmagic capture hardware

It's always nice to try and conform to a standard, if one exists. I think the limitation here is the capture hardware (which is fine.) I was just seeing if I was reading the specs correctly.

Thanks!